www.whyville.net Aug 7, 2007 Weekly Issue



megmeg9
Whyville Columnist

Inside the Mind: A Times Writer

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Now many of you probably read about almost all of the articles in the Times each week! Others may only read a couple, but who are these people who bring us information and knowledge and know how to make it exciting? I wanted to find out, so this morning I interviewed . . . Glitsygrl! She has many great and interesting articles, how does she do it?

megmeg9: Did you always want to become a Times Writer? Or was it just an opportunity you felt like you had to take?
Glitsygrl: Wow. I always loved to write even before I came on Whyville, and when I found out there was a Whyville Times in the beginning I avidly began reading each week. Just in the last year or two I have been sending in articles. But, yes, from the beginning, whenever I saw an author on the front page, I'd always think, Gosh, I wish that was me.
megmeg9: Your wish came true! We all love your articles! :-) What kind of topics do you enjoy writing about most? Why?
Glitsygrl: XD Music, most definitely. I feel that music is something that I can relate to the most, and it's really easy for me to write about. With some subjects, words don't really flow, but whenever I write about music, I'm just busting to say more. Whether it's about concerts, bands, and different kind of music scenes. Besides that, I like to write about very random things. Not the huge headliners in the news, but maybe some more softer, yet still important, more personal things. I feel I can reach people more that way.
megmeg9: I think that is truly spectacular that you write about those little things, while everyone else is worrying about the big issues, the small issues count too! It seems to me that you can write about almost anything! What was your inspiration for the articles you have written?
Glitsygrl: I get inspiration from small things I notice around me. I don't really just plop down in front of the computer and brainstorm on what I'm going to write. I will get a inspiration from something very random in my life, or what I see around me, and just write off of it. I've written some articles about new news, and things like that, and I do enjoy writing some of those things, but mainly, I'll just be walking down the street and see something peculiar, and it will just give off a buzz inside of me and give me a really big idea.
megmeg9: You are very original, and give Whyvillians information about things that we don't notice too much, but you help us realize that they are very important! Being a Times Writer, has it changed your life on Whyville? How?
Glitsygrl: Oh, yes it has. Before I started writing, I wasn't noticed anywhere, at all. I had a couple really close friends, and I'd talk to them regularly, but before becoming a Times Writer, I was just kind of another fish in the sea. (Pardon my horrible idioms.) Now, with writing for the Whyville Times, I get a lot of more y-mails, and it gave me so much more confidence. Being recognized is the best feeling. People will y-mail me with questions like: How do you write for the Times? Where did you get the idea for this article . . . and so on. Those questions I would get gave me the inspiration to become a y-mail helper, and do other stuff in Whyville. Writing got me more involved, and that's why I'm so happy when I see other new Whyvillians writing for the Times.
megmeg9: I know I'm fairly new, but I can relate! :-) That's really cool that working for the Times, also gave you the opportunity to become a Y-Mail helper! How did you feel when you became a Times Writer?
Glitsygrl: Well, I think many people can relate to how I felt. It's like when you achieve a goal, it feels excellent, obviously. I remember one of my friends like "Hey, Times Writer!" and I was really confused, and so I looked under that certain article, and sure enough, it said "Times Writer" below it, and I was so pumped. It was definitely a surprise. I knew I loved writing and knew I would keep doing it, but just having that title was awesome. Really made all that time spent writing the articles worth it.
megmeg9: Wow, I can just imagine how excited you were! I'm glad it was all worth it! :-) Do you have any tips for Whyvillians who wish to write for the Times some day?
Glitsygrl: Tips?? Wow. Everything I'm going to say is probably going to be some cliche of another article, but, really, you just need to keep the consistency. Write about what you feel is important, and what you enjoy. Even if you have amazing skill, and you write about some news stunt that you don't exactly care about, it's going to come off somewhat strangled or off-base in the article. If you get published once, and your dream is to be a Times Writer, you can't just sit back and admire your work. You need to keep them coming, even if they don't get published right away, the Editor will see that you are progressing and that you are serious. And writing a variety of articles helps, too. Just make sure you are having fun and passionate about what you are doing. It's not worth it if you don't care about what you are writing about, or just writing for the sake of being published.
megmeg9: I completely agree! You can tell you're a writer just by your answers, they are extremely passionate! I don't think anyone could have said that better! What is the most full filling part of working for the Times?
Glitsygrl: The most fulfilling things is hands-down getting y-mails or comments in the BBS encouraging me or giving me tips. It's amazing how observant Whyvillians can be, showing me how to improve. Without some people in the BBS, I would not even be close to the writing skill which I have today, if you could call it "skill" at all. But the thing that really warms my heart is when someone y-mails me and tells me how they related to the article, or how it touched them in some way. It makes it all worth while, to know in such a simple way, you made someone understand, or learn a bit more about what you were talking about. Oh! And I love when people tell me that they didn't like the article, dump on it or whatever I so don't get enough of those. It makes me smile, and it gives me more determination to do better next time.
megmeg9: That's good that you can take criticism! I'm one of those stubborn people, who don't take it very well! I'm working on it! You have an awesome personality, and can be a wonderful role model for future Times Writers! Do you think you will continue to write for the Times in the future?
Glitsygrl: Most definitely. It's going to be harder when the school year starts to write as many articles, but I really do want to keep writing because it makes me happy and have a much more enjoyable experience on Whyville. Even when there are many more people submitting for the Times now, it won't stop me from writing even more. Writing for the Whyville Times is a huge part of what I do on Whyville, and I hope that continues.

You heard directly from Glitsygrl, those were her tips to her success, and answers from her heart!

Until next time, this is Mae going to read one of Glitsygrl's magnificent articles!

 

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